Free Spirit
by Tsukiko K
Summary: The Guardians learn Jack can write and sing songs.


**Disclaimer: I do not own any of the songs or the movie ROTG. That should be obvious to any of you who are incredibly stupid or dense.**

* * *

The four original Guardians are gathered in a room in North's Workshop, waiting for their youngest to arrive so they could start the meeting. "Where is tha' bloody show pony?" Bunny growls, his arms crossed, "We've been waitin' an hour for 'im to show up!"

"Perhaps he simply forgot?" Tooth asked curiously. Bunny says nothing, but shakes his head, clearly not believing that to be the case. North shrugs and goes over to a yeti who just barged in. Sandy, sitting off to the side, drinks eggnog, obviously not at all minding the wait. "Yeti says they found Jack. It seems he in old room in Workshop, where yeti keep music instruments." North explains.

Music from somewhere within the Workshop begins to play and the Guardians quickly race towards it. They peek into a room to find some of the yeti skillfully playing some instruments with Jack sitting nearby, wearing a big smile. What happens next baffles everyone watching, except the musician yeti's, as Jack closes his eyes and opens his mouth to sing.

 _"_ _Sound the bugle now - play it just for me  
_ _As the seasons change - remember how I used to be_

 _Now I can't go on - I can't even start  
_ _I've got nothing left - just an empty heart,_

 _I'm a soldier - wounded so I must give up the fight  
_ _There's nothing more for me - lead me away...  
_ _Or leave me lying here,"_

His voice is soft, and surprisingly melodic, as well as full of many emotions. The Guardians listen intently, seeming to pick up on the emotions. Sorrow and loneliness, being the most prominent. Tooth covers her mouth as she listens.

 _"_ _Sound the bugle now - tell them I don't care  
_ _There's not a road I know - that leads to anywhere_

 _Without a light I fear that I will stumble in the dark  
_ _Lay right down - decide not to go on_

 _Then from on high - somewhere in the distance  
_ _There's a voice that calls, "Remember who you are,"  
_ _If you lose yourself - your courage soon will follow,"_

The Guardians all feel melancholic, watching their youngest member sing. _'Didn't he say that he went 300 years without his memories?'_ Tooth thought, eyes brimming with tears. Bunny himself felt his ears droop a little, trying to imagine being like Jack and not remembering who he is. _'Poor kid...'_

 _"_ _So be strong tonight - remember who you are  
_ _Yeah you're a soldier now - fighting in a battle  
_ _To be free once more - yeah, that's worth fighting for,"_

Jack stood up with a grin. "That was awesome! You guys play really well. I have other songs I can show you, that I wrote just like that!" he says enthusiastically, shocking the Guardians once again. _'He wrote that song? And has others?'_ were the thoughts of each Guardian.

The happy winter spirit simply pulls out a small notebook from his hoodie and shows the yeti's the songs. "I'll sing this one! Its more upbeat!" He shows them the musical notes and the instruments needed before taking a seat on top of the piano.

The Guardians simply smile and listen, not wanting to interrupt and definitely wanting to hear him sing.

The music begins to play, and sixteen seconds later, Jack begins to sing.

 _"_ _I hear the wind across the plain  
_ _A sound so strong - that calls my name_

 _It's wild like the river - it's warm like the sun  
_ _Yeah it's here - this is where I belong_

Bunny shakes his head with a fond smile. Typical Jack, a lover of nature regardless of season. Tooth and Sandy smile as well, each of the Guardians knowing Jack's connection to the wind.

 _Under the starry skies - where eagles have flown  
_ _This place is paradise - it's the place I call home_

 _The moon on the mountains  
_ _The whisper through the trees  
_ _The waves on the water  
_ _Let nothing come between this and me,"_

North smiles, knowing Jack must've wrote some of this song based on his love of nature. He expected as much, given that Jack is an Elemental, or more commonly known as a Seasonal. Seasonals and elementals that are attached to or the embodiment of something in nature love it. _'He mentioned loving all the seasons to me, with winter being his favorite.'_

 _"Cause_ _everything I want - is everything that's here  
_ _And when when we're all together - there's nothing to fear,"_

The Guardians quickly realize that this part is about them by the look in the young spirits eyes and his expression. They smile, feeling honoured that the winter child feels so strongly about them.

 _And wherever I wander - the one thing I've learned  
_ _Yeah...  
_ _It's to here - I will always...always return,"_

North beams, happy that Jack considers the Workshop his home and the place he'll always return to, no matter where he goes. Everyone knows that Elementals and Seasonals like to move and travel, usually not staying in one place for long but when they do... it's usually always because that place and anyone there has become special to them.

"Ready for my next song, you guys? This is one of my favorites. Well, it's sort of like the previous one. It contributes to the other Guardians a bit, since we're all like a big family, you know?" Jack says, grinning. The yeti's nod, and begin playing, all clearly happy to play the instruments and listen to Jack sing.

The Guardians keep watching, all four feeling incredibly happy.

 _"_ _I hear the wind call my name  
_ _The sound that leads me home again  
_ _It sparks up the fire - a flame that still burns  
_ _To you I will always return,"_

Jack closes his eyes in deep thought as he sings, thinking of the Guardians and the ways they are like a family. Tooth, the mother. North, the dad. Bunny, the older brother. Sandy, the uncle.

 _"I know the road is long but where you are is home  
_ _Wherever you stay - I'll find the way_

 _I'll run like the river, I'll follow the sun  
_ _I'll fly like an eagle to where I belong_

 _I can't stand the distance - I can't dream alone  
_ _I can't wait to see you - Yes I'm on my way home,"_

'He considers us to be home. Wherever we are, is his home.' Sandy wrote out his exact words in Dreamsand, not wanting to play the guessing game with symbols and pictures right now. The other three Guardians nod with serene smiles at that.

 _"_ _Now I know it's true  
_ _My every road leads to you_

 _And in the hour of darkness  
_ _Your light gets me through,"_

Each Guardian is reminded of the fight with Pitch Black. It's clear that the hour of darkness is any danger they encounter, not just Pitch, but they know that he thought of Pitch and the fight when writing that part.

 _"You run like the river - you shine like the sun  
_ _Yeah  
_ _You fly like an eagle  
_ _You are the one_

 _I've seen every sunset  
_ _And with all that I've learned  
_ _Oh, it's to you I will always, always return,"_

The yeti clap, making Jack laugh. "This next song is, embarrassingly enough, about me. I hope you don't mind." he says, making the yeti's shrug and shake their heads as they get ready. The Guardian's perk up at that as the yeti's begin to play.

 _"You can't take me,  
_ _Yeah,"_

Jack begins singing, leaning against the piano. Those first lines make the Guardians even more curious.

 _"_ _Got to fight another fight  
_ _I gotta run another night_

 _Get it out  
_ _check it out  
_ _I'm on my way and I don't feel right_

 _I gotta get me back  
_ _I can't be beat and that's a fact_

 _It's OK  
_ _I'll find a way  
_ _You ain't gonna take me down no way,"_

Bunny's ears perk up. _'Sounds like the kids fighting a battle of sorts.'_

 _"_ _Don't judge a thing until you know what's inside it  
_ _Don't push me  
_ _I'll fight it_

 _Never gonna give in  
_ _never gonna give it up, no_

 _If you can't catch a wave then you're never gonna ride it  
_ _You can't come uninvited_

 _Never gonna give in  
_ _never gonna give it up, no_

 _You can't take me  
_ _I'm free,"_

'It sounds like a song where he fights for his freedom, against an enemy.' Sandy writes out in Dreamsand once again. The thought of someone trying to take away Jack's freedom was unnerving to all of the Guardians.

 _"_ _Why did it all go wrong?  
_ _I wanna know what's going on_

 _And what's this holding me?  
_ _I'm not where I'm supposed to be_

 _I gotta fight another fight  
_ _I gotta fight with all my might_

 _I'm getting out, so check it out  
_ _you're in my way  
_ _Yeah, you better watch out_

 _Oh, come on!"_

Jack grins mischievously as he sings. _'How can anyone hold such a free spirit captive?'_ is the thought of the Guardians as they continue to listen.

 _"_ _Don't judge a thing until you know what's inside it  
_ _Don't push me  
_ _I'll fight it_

 _Never gonna give in  
_ _never gonna give it up, no_

 _If you can't catch a wave then you're never gonna ride it  
_ _You can't come uninvited_

 _Never gonna give in  
_ _never gonna give it up, no_

 _You can't take me  
_ _I'm free,"_

"That one was based on my need to be free." Jack says, smiling at the yeti's. "I'm a free spirit by nature, I was born free. The thought of being held against my will makes me angry. I've met others like me. But that was when I was captured and held for a period of time. They used us, specifically our powers, for their own needs and wants. So we fought back, because no one is going to lock up a free spirit and expect no resistance. It's ridiculous!"

He never stops smiling and simply grabs a chair to sit in backwards.

"Ready for the next song?" The yeti's nod with big smiles and begin playing. Tapping his foot for a second, Jack grins and begins singing.

 _"_ _Well you think that you can take me on  
_ _You must be crazy  
_ _There ain't a single thing you've done  
_ _That's gonna phase me,"_

The Guardians grin, having a feeling where this is going.

 _"_ _Oh, but if you want to have a go  
_ _I just want to let you know  
Yeah  
_ _Get off my back and into my game  
_ _Get out of my way and out of my brain  
_ _Get outta my face or give it your best shot  
_ _I think it's time you better face the fact  
_ _Get off my back,"_

 **'** _Gotta love the kid. He sure knows how to tell someone off, even through song,'_ Bunny thinks, still grinning a bit as he listens to Jack.

 _"You know it's all just a game that I'm playing  
_ _Don't think that you can't find a way in  
_ _That's what I'm saying  
_ _Oh if you want to have a go  
_ _I just want to let you know..._

 _Get off of my back and into my game_  
 _Get out of my way and out of my brain_  
 _Get out of my face or give it your best shot_  
 _I think it's time you better face the fact,_  
 _Get off of my back,"_

The Guardians are holding back laughs, not wanting to startle Jack and stop his singing. It's clear to them what the song is about, defiance and a fight against someone else, with Jack wanting nothing to do with whoever it is.

 _"Oh if you want to have a go  
_ _I just want to let you know  
_ _Get off, get off,  
Yeah get off of my back and into my game_

 _Get out of my way and out of my brain_  
 _Get out of my face, or give it your best shot_  
 _You'll know that this train is coming off this track_  
 _Get off of my back_  
 _Yeah, get off of my back,"_

Jack grins as he finishes the song. "That was awesome. Thanks! That was so fun! But... why do I feel like I'm forgetting something?" He yawns shortly after asking himself that, and with half lidded eyes, lays down on a nearby couch. "Maybe I'll remember it later... 'M tired..." He yawns again before curling up and falling asleep within seconds.

The Guardians shake their heads fondly at the tired teen, and Sandy sends some Dreamsand over to give the eternally fourteen year old child some good dreams as he sleeps. North sighs and takes Jack to his room, tucking him in.

After leaving the room and quietly shutting the door, he looks at the others. "Well, maybe we don't need a meeting this time," he says with a smile, "I'm pretty sure everything is going well, anyway."

The other Guardians each smile, and nod. Today was certainly interesting.


End file.
